The level of corruption and the lack of support from friends are the two main factors that make Albanians the unhappiest in Europe, with the exception of Turkey.
However, in a positive trend, young people seem to be happier than they were a decade ago. The trend is quite different for the country that speaks the same language, Kosovo, which this year ranked among the 20 happiest in the world.
Albania ranked 86th in the Happiness Index for 2026, a slight improvement from the 89th position it had been in the previous year, according to a United Nations publication, which is held annually on the occasion of the Day of Happiness, which is on March 20.
The World Happiness Report 2026, published by the United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network, provides a comprehensive look at the level of happiness around the world, based on data from 147 countries.
In Europe, Albania is only behind Turkey, with the latter being the unhappiest country in Europe, in 94th place. The happiest country in the region is Kosovo, 16th in the world, up from 29th place the previous year. Kosovo is followed by Serbia, which ranks 30th, Bosnia and Herzegovina in 47th place, Montenegro in 60th place, and North Macedonia, in 82nd place. Bosnia and Montenegro have improved by 10 places since the previous year.
– The report is based on several key indicators to measure a country's happiness:
– Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita: A measure of the average income of citizens.
– Social support: Assessing whether individuals have someone they can rely on in times of need.
– Healthy life expectancy: The average years of healthy life that an individual is expected to live.
– Freedom to make life decisions: The extent to which individuals feel free to choose their own path in life.
– Generosity: The tendency of citizens to donate to charity.
– Perception of corruption: Perception of the level of corruption in government and business.
Albania is penalized by corruption, ranking 120th, or the 27th most corrupt country in the world. In Europe, North Macedonia and Bosnia and Herzegovina surpass us in terms of perceived corruption, ranking fourth and fifth, respectively, as the most corrupt countries in the world.
The second most negatively ranked indicator is social support, in 108th place, and lack of positive feeling, where we are 109th.
The most positive indicators are generosity, where we rank 59th. Albania ranks better in the freedom to make life decisions indicator, 37th, and per capita income in 67th place. In the healthy life expectancy indicator, the country ranks 38th.
Young people are happier
Historical data shows that the happiness index has marked a slight improvement in recent years, mainly influenced by young people, reaching the levels of 2011, when the best result was recorded so far.
This is a positive development, as the happiness report shows that Albania ranks seventh for the positive change in the index among young people under 25 from 2006-2010 to 2023-2025.
world
Finland again leads as the happiest country in the world in the 2026 report, maintaining this position for the ninth consecutive year.
Together with Iceland and Denmark, it confirms that high trust in institutions and quality of life are among the main factors that determine the level of well-being of citizens.
Beyond Europe, Costa Rica and Mexico stand out as special cases, ranking among the happiest countries in the world and leaving behind many richer economies. Costa Rica has climbed to fourth place – the best result ever achieved by a Latin American country – while Mexico has made a strong leap, climbing to 12th place from 36th place in 2022.
The United States of America ranks 23rd, one of the lowest positions in its history.
This follows a downward trend that has been observed over the past 15 years. From 11th place in 2011, the US has gradually fallen, reaching its lowest point in 2024, in 24th place. One of the main reasons is the deterioration of well-being among young Americans, often linked to the increase in the use of social networks and the deterioration of mental health.
In the Middle East, Israel ranks eighth, being the best-placed country in the region, followed by the United Arab Emirates in 21st place and Saudi Arabia in 22nd place. While in Asia, Taiwan is the only country to rank in the global top 30, occupying 26th place.
At the bottom of the table, Afghanistan ranks as the least happy country in the world, followed by Sierra Leone and Malawi. For years, political instability, war and restrictions on rights and freedoms have deepened the sense of insecurity and hopelessness in the country./ Monitor
